p>Article content Like schools everywhere, public schools in Coquitlam, B.C., could not have foreseen the pandemic.
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p>Content of the article B.C. Article content , however, the B.C. schools were likely better prepared than other schools to meet the COVID-19 challenges to learning.
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p>It is largely due to its partnership with Microsoft. This partnership includes enhanced use of Microsoft's cloud-based, interactive, and educational tools that can enhance learning in the classroom.
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p>Stephen Whiffin, chief information officer and director of instruction for the Coquitlam School district, says that there has been a general movement to adopt technology in schools across Canada for some time.
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p>Since a few yearsago, the aim has been to use information technology to improve the education of the district's 30,000 diverse students.
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p>"We'd been focusing for some time on implementing Microsoft 365 Education because it provides a set of tools that the majority of people are already familiar with."
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p>The ease of use of Microsoft is not overemphasized in its importance in aiding in the ease of adoption among teachers and students, he notes. In the event that the pandemic hit the school district was able to swiftly transition to an online, at-home learning format.
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p>Whiffin claims that all of our teachers had laptops and had Microsoft software installed on the laptops. The IT infrastructure was also there to help support this rapid change.
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p>The new devices and hardware that the school board bought are running the latest cloud-based Windows 10 operating system, that allows for seamless synching with Microsoft's Education tools. Microsoft also provides IT management tools that let administrators manage connected devices as well as networks and other resources.
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p>Article content It also offers its own Surface brand of touchscreen tablet/laptop/desktop hybrids for exceptional performance in educational settings, with affordable to premium price points.
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p>Microsoft's educational tools are built on Office 365, the most popular software for business around the world. In collaboration with school boards, Microsoft offers a free version of its educational software to teachers and students across Canada. https://controlc.com/c1f67196 This gives users access to powerful tools like Teams, PowerPoint?, Excel and Word on their devices at home to help them learn, as well as access to Minecraft: Education Edition. Parents and students also have access to additional tools specifically designed for the classroom.
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p>"For instance, Microsoft Teams - a key communication tool within the M365 suite - includes special plug-ins designed specifically for education that facilitate working in the classroom and remote learning," says Whiffin.
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p>Microsoft's education package also includes applications such as OneNote? Class Notebooks. This allows teachers to create virtual spaces for their own small group, as well as classroom activities.
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p>It's not just about software, however. As Whiffin adds, Microsoft provides the total package, which is vital in a world where learning is advancing beyond the boundaries of the classroom.
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p>"All resources should be aligned, not only for learning, but also for the infrastructure to support learning in the classroom and at home.
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p>Article content All Microsoft 365 Education Tools are backed with unparalleled security and privacy measures, Whiffin says.
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p>"That was absolutely critical as parents and teachers were confident that students would be safe using the tools," he says. "Without that trust it would have been difficult to smoothly implement these tools in our classroom."
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p>Microsoft's 365 Education suite proved to be a useful tool for remote learning during the pandemic. However the most striking proof of its power to transform lives was that students and teachers continued to use it after returning to learning in person.
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p>"That's an indication of the quality of the experience and the effectiveness of the tools that help improve education," he adds.
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p>The main reason for the Coquitlam school district's success is Microsoft's unifying platform which meets the needs of students, educators and support staff.
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p>Whiffin says that Microsoft 365 Education offers one set of tools to aid students in their learning, whether they are using Excel to design presentations, PowerPoint? to crunch numbers or Teams to communicate in real-time.
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p>Click here to learn more about Microsoft 365 Education or download the suite.
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